Forensic Science Concepts and Applications

What is forensics?

• The study of ancient civilizations.

• The use of science in the field of law.

• The art of solving puzzles.

• The process of collecting evidence at a crime scene.

What does it mean if a body's blood is still very much liquid when examined for livor mortis?

• The body has been dead for more than 12 hours.

• The body has been dead for less than 12 hours.

• The body was moved after death.

• The body was kept in a cold environment.

How long does rigor mortis typically last after death?

• It starts immediately and lasts indefinitely.

• It starts about 2 hours after death and lasts until about 36 hours.

• It starts after 12 hours and lasts for 24 hours.

• It only occurs if the body is moved after death.

If a body's temperature is 29 degrees Celsius and it loses heat at a rate of 1.5 degrees Celsius per hour from a normal body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius, how long has the body been dead?

• Approximately 4 hours

• Approximately 6 hours

• Approximately 8 hours

• Approximately 10 hours

Why is it generally impossible to "enhance" a blurry digital image to reveal clear details, as often depicted in TV shows?

• Digital images are stored as analog signals, which cannot be improved.

• Enhancement requires specialized hardware that is not yet invented.

• Digital images are recorded as data (pixels) with a fixed amount of information, and new information cannot be created.

• The process is too time-consuming for real-life investigations.

Why is it impossible to enhance the resolution of a photo once it's stored?

• The camera averages the colors in each pixel, losing individual color information.

• The photo file size becomes too large to process.

• Digital cameras don't capture enough detail initially.

• Software limitations prevent further enhancement.

What does it mean if a camera has 8 megapixels?

• It takes pictures with 8 million pixels.

• It can zoom in 8 times without losing quality.

• It has 8 different color sensors.

• It can store 8 million photos.

What are "faceprints" composed of in facial recognition technology?

• Unique patterns of skin texture.

• The overall shape of the head.

• Measurements of specific facial features like eye socket curvature and nose-to-mouth distance.

• A person's emotional expressions.

How does the Kastle-Meyer test indicate the presence of blood?

• It causes the sample to glow under UV light.

• It produces a strong metallic odor.

• It turns phenolphthalein pink due to a reaction catalyzed by hemoglobin.

• It creates bubbles when mixed with hydrogen peroxide.

What is the approximate probability of two unrelated people having the exact same STR profile across all 13 repeating sections analyzed in forensic DNA analysis?

• 1 in a thousand

• 1 in a million

• 1 in a billion

• 1 in a trillion